Easier Movement, Happier Life

Send Mary a message Learn Practical Strategies to Cultivate Awareness and Release Tension Join host Mary Debono as she explores the harmful effects of doing too much, both for humans and horses. Through anecdotes and insights, discover how excessive tension impacts movement and well-being. Learn practical strategies to cultivate awareness and release unnecessary effort. Tune in for a transformativ...

Send Mary a message Do you feel crooked in the saddle? You're not alone! In this episode of Easier Movement, Happier Horses, we'll dive into the problem of uneven seat bones. This common issue isn't just about aesthetics. It can affect your riding ability, contribute to a lack of confidence, create physical discomfort, and even throw your horse off balance. It’s an incredibly common...

Send Mary a message You may pay attention to how your horse looks and feels, but do you notice how your horse SOUNDS? Listening to your horse's footfalls can help you detect imbalances in your horse's movement and posture. And catching such imbalances early, while they're hardly noticeable, may prevent them from turning into more serious problems. In this episode, Mary will explain...

Send Mary a message Want you and your horse to move easier and feel better? In this episode, you'll learn about 4 key characteristics of healthy movement for you and your horse. You'll hear why one or more of these essentials may disappear when you tack up your horse or step into the saddle.  Learn how you and your horse can embody these 4 qualities in your everyday life for a healthier...

Send Mary a message Host Mary Debono, Feldenkrais Method Practitioner, shares insightful stories and practical wisdom on the profound impact of cultivating flexibility of body and mind for horses and riders.  Mary describes real-life examples, showcasing how gentle, mindful movements can lead to remarkable changes in posture and physical comfort as well as the emotional well-being of both humans a...

Send Mary a message Feel begins with being aware of your own body and movements. Here's an effective exercise that can help you become more sensitive to yourself AND your horse.    Enhancing awareness of your own body is the first step to developing a greater feel of your horse. But it doesn't end there. It's also critical to be aware of your horse's body and movements.  In thi...

Send Mary a message Would you like to take something that you're probably already doing and make it much more beneficial for your horse? In this short episode, you can learn how to: Develop your ability to tune in to your horse and identify areas of tension or soreness Reduce neuromuscular tension in your horse, promoting relaxation and comfort Stimulates the CLTMs, specialized nerve fibers t...

Send Mary a message Many of us move in ways that lead to injury, strain and pain.  That's a recipe for resistance and frustration - for both you and your horse!  In this episode, you'll discover how to use the 4 pillars of healthy movement to improve your athletic ability and be a better partner for your horse.    1. The Four Hallmarks of Healthy and Efficient Movement (00:00 - 05:59) 2....

Send Mary a message Did you know that YOU get to decide who you are? Not your parents, teachers, siblings, friends, coworkers, or random people on the internet.  But most of us don’t realize that. We’ve let others shape us and decide who we are. We create our identities, often at a young age.  And these identities can often prevent us from achieving our full athletic and creative potential.  The g...

Send Mary a message Let's talk about how you - and your horse - can effortlessly improve your movement and well-being. Despite aging, injuries or even limiting beliefs! Here's what you can learn in this episode:  1. Keeping Mobility, Flexibility, Balance and Confidence Despite Aginng or Injury (or both!) Tips to Help (00:00 - 05:58) 2. Embracing Biological Optimism: Compounding Benefits...

Send Mary a message Let's talk about how you can effortlessly improve your movement. And your horse's performance.  Many of us force ourselves into a straighter posture and endure uncomfortable stretches in an attempt to improve our position and flexibility. And we use that same mindset with our horses. We use our seat, legs, hands and voice to "get" a horse to bend through a c...

Send Mary a message This episode will introduce a novel way to improve shoulder movement in you and your horse.  And it's all about working with the rib cage! Mary will describe the innovative way she helps humans and horses overcome ligament and tendon injuries and restore free, healthy movement to the shoulders. You'll hear what NOT to do as well. Mary explains why stretching the limb...

Send Mary a message Do you wish your horse was more willing and enthusiastic? Do you ever think of your horse as lazy or stubborn? Do you wish your horse would pay more attention to you? In this episode, Mary gives you tips to use leading as a fun way to connect with your horse and have a more willing, enthusiastic equine partner. Done mindfully, a simple activity, such as leading your horse, can...

Send Mary a message Discover how haltering sets the tone for your interaction with your horse and how simple changes  can elevate your equine relationship. You'll hear how mindful haltering can even improve your horse's willingness and athletic performance! In this episode, you'll learn why it's important to pay attention to subtle cues that your horse is giving you that can ei...

Send Mary a message In this episode, you’ll learn how horses and humans get stuck in “habit ruts” that contribute to stiffness, soreness and general unhappiness. Mary will explain how to use small changes to your everyday routine to break out of that rut and help you and your horse become more flexible, focused and enthusiastic.   You’ll discover how to use novelty and variation to improve balance...

Send Mary a message Understanding and Addressing Back Pain in Horses and Riders  Back pain and stiffness is a very common problem for horses and humans alike. And there's often a common reason why your back - or your horse's back - gets stiff and sore.  In this podcast episode, I explain what that reason is and how you can prevent back soreness or stiffness in you and your horse.   I als...

Send Mary a message I'm sharing a quick, sure-fire way to tame your anxiety.  It's a simple, powerful exercise that you can do almost anywhere. And it'll not only reduce your stress and calm your nerves, it'll get you into a more creative, receptive state. That means you'll come up with creative solutions to problems. In addition to feeling happier and more confident,  the...

Send Mary a message Whether you want to improve your horse's athletic performance, confidence or comfort,  there's a KEY step that needs to happen.  And I'll tell you all about it in this episode.  This key step has benefits for you too. It refines your communication, enhances your feel and helps you connect more deeply with your horse. What's really cool is that when you help...

Send Mary a message If your horse expresses displeasure when being groomed, tacked up or blanketed, how do you respond? Do you correct your horse with a verbal " Hey, knock it off!"?   Or do you administer a slap? Or do you reassess what you're doing and (gasp!) actually LISTEN to your horse? This episode explores common situations that equestrians encounter with their horses. Horse...

Send Mary a message Want to move with greater ease AND feel happier too? You're in luck! Feldenkrais Method movement lessons not only help improve posture, flexibility and balance, but may help you cultivate greater happiness, optimism and wellbeing too. In this episode, Mary explains  how doing Feldenkrais movements can help you feel better about yourself AND give you the tools to keep impro...

Send Mary a message You may think that creating strong habits around exercise is a good way to achieve your health and fitness goals. But what if I told you that your exercise habits could be increasing your risk of strain, stiffness and plain old boredom?    In this episode, I'll share key elements that you can add to your movement program to make it healthier and more effective. And even mo...

Send Mary a message You've probably have heard that if you want to improve, you have to push beyond your comfort zone. You're encouraged to go to your maximum, to develop more willpower.  But is that approach REALLY serving you? In this episode, learn when it's more effective to stay WITHIN your range of ease and comfort.   You'll learn why pushing to your limit can backfire. A...

Send Mary a message Did you know that you can improve your movement simply by changing the very beginning of a movement? You can develop better body awareness and improve your coordination simply by pausing and changing the very BEGINNING of a movement.  This applies to any movement that you do, including riding, leading your horse, taking hold of your steering wheel, walking or any other movement...

Send Mary a message Do you think that you lack the talent, opportunity or confidence to ride better? Do you think that your horse is too stiff, spooky or lazy to do the things you really want to do?      If you answered yes to even one of those questions, you have have a limiting belief. And you're not alone.  Virtually all of us have a BUNCH of limiting beliefs in different areas of our live...

Send Mary a message In this episode, Mary shares inspiring thoughts from members of her Happy, Healthy Horsewomen community. You'll hear what they learned from their horses. And how their horses gently (and sometimes not so gently!) pointed out where and how they could improve. In listening to their horses, these women learned a lot about themselves. And not only did the improve their horsema...